(a) Field
Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a liquid crystal display.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display, which is one of the most widely used types of flat panel display, typically includes two panels, e.g., upper and lower panels, in which field generating electrodes, such as a pixel electrode and a common electrode, are disposed, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the two panels. The liquid crystal display generates an electric field in the liquid crystal layer by applying a voltage to a field generating electrode and displays an image by determining an alignment of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer and controlling polarization of incident light based on the generated electric field.
The liquid crystal display may be in various modes, and a liquid crystal display in a vertically aligned mode, in which longitudinal axes of the liquid crystal molecules are aligned substantially vertical to the upper and lower panels in the state in which an electric field is not applied, typically has a large contrast ratio and a wide reference viewing angle, and therefore has received attention.
In the liquid crystal display in the vertically aligned mode, a plurality of domains having different alignments directions of the liquid crystal may be provided in each pixel to implement the wide viewing angle.
In the liquid crystal display in the vertically aligned mode, a method of forming a pattern in a field generating electrode, and the like may be used to provide the plurality of domains. According to such a method, the plurality of domains may be formed on the liquid crystal layer by controlling an alignment direction of a liquid crystal by a fringe field, which is generated between an edge of a pattern of the field generating electrode and the field generating electrode facing the edge.